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Medicine prices on the rise again
Rising petrol prices and a higher exchange rate have put pressure on the manufacture and import of medicines, and retail drug prices have been on an upward curve this month.
Pharmacies in the city said they have received several announcements from pharmaceutical companies about increased prices of many drugs since the beginning of this month.
Alcon Pharmaceuticals Ltd Co has announced an average 8 per cent increase in the prices of 36 medicines compared to last month.
The price of Natacyn 15ml has risen from VND804,000 to VND867,000 and Aldactone 25mg has risen from VND174,000 to VND188,000. The company also increased the prices of Travatan 2.5ml and Ponstan 500mg to VND204,000 and VND162,000 from VND189,000 and VND150,000, respectively.
The Merap Joint Stock Co. has increased the price of four types of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and stomachache treatment medicines. Stomex 20mg has gone up by 19 per cent to VND126,000, Strase 10mg by 8 percent to VND135,000, Metiny 100mg by 12.5 per cent to VND198,000 and Metiny 200mg by 7.6 per cent to VND155,000.
Solvay Co. has increased the prices of 10 products by 8-9 per cent.
Apart from fuel prices and the exchange rate, the several stages of distribution of medicines in the country was also a factor in increasing prices, said Deputy Minister of Health Cao Minh Quang.
A recent survey by the HCM City University of Medicine and Pharmacy showed retail medicine prices were different among shops within the same area.
Prices at large shops including My Chau, Sapharco and Vimedimex were 10-38 per cent higher than other shops, the survey found.
For instance, the price of Amoxicillin 500 sold at My Chau and Sapharco was about 10 per cent higher than other retail outlets.
However, prices at Good Pharmacy Practices (GPP) -certified pharmacies were 4-10 per cent lower than other shops.
Experts say this is because these businesses imported medicines directly, not through intermediaries.
Besides, GPP pharmacies and chains import medicines in large quantities so they usually have sufficient stock to avoid speculation-based increases in prices.
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